Reflection on Readings - 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

JER 20:7-9; PS 63:2-6, 8-9; ROM 12:1-2; MT 16:21-27

If we are striving to live the stewardship way of life, we must be honest with ourselves and admit it’s not going to be easy. Dying to self and living for Christ and others is tough. It’s the work of a lifetime. But in the end, it’s the only work that really matters and the only life that truly satisfies. Our readings today reflect this challenging reality.

Our first reading is from the book of the prophet Jeremiah. After a series of hard knocks as he tries to preach the message God has entrusted to him, Jeremiah sums up the steward’s “dilemma” — the choice between living for self or living for God — this way: “I say to myself, I will not mention him, I will speak in his name no more. But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart… I grow weary holding it in.” 

Haven’t we all felt that way, perhaps after frustrations in our ministry or being chided by friends for our “crazy Catholic beliefs”? But God is so good, so loving, so generous to us that, like Jeremiah, even when we’re tempted to throw in the towel, we simply cannot turn our back on Him. We hold steady on the stewardship way of life. 

The second reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans teaches how we get back to the path of discipleship in those moments of discouragement when we feel the temptation to just give up and give in to selfishness. Paul urges us, “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” He says, “Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may do the will of God.” 

What does this mean for us modern-day stewards? It means we must discipline ourselves — body, mind, and spirit — through a consistent prayer life, continuous formation in our Catholic faith, and setting aside anything in our life (entertainment, material possessions, social activities) that is not pleasing to God. Seems impossible, doesn’t it? And it would be impossible, except for the grace of God which is always available to us in abundance if we simply ask God for it.

Our Gospel passage, from Matthew, continues this theme of the tough demands of the steward’s way of life, this time in the words of Jesus Himself. Jesus tells His disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” This sounds harsh. Why would anyone want to do this? Our Lord has the answer, of course. “Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

It’s all about love. Jesus loved (and loves) us totally, giving us all of Himself on the Cross, in His Word, and in the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist. 

And so we must choose: love of self, or love of God and others — which is tough, but fulfilling and leads to the eternal reward of heaven. Jesus promises that He “will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay all according to his conduct.”

Let us make the tough choice to lose our life for Christ’s sake, in grateful response to His love. Honestly, what better life could there be?

Mass Readings: Sunday, 30th August 2020

First Reading    Jeremiah 20:7-9 ·

The word of the Lord has meant insult for me

You have seduced me, Lord, and I have let myself be seduced;
you have overpowered me: you were the stronger.
I am a daily laughing-stock,
everybody’s butt.
Each time I speak the word, I have to howl
and proclaim: ‘Violence and ruin!’
The word of the Lord has meant for me
insult, derision, all day long.
I used to say, ‘I will not think about him,
I will not speak in his name any more.’
Then there seemed to be a fire burning in my heart,
imprisoned in my bones.
The effort to restrain it wearied me,
I could not bear it.

The word of the Lord.

 

Responsorial Psalm   Psalm 62(63):2-6,8-9

For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord my God.

O God, you are my God, for you I long;
    for you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you
    like a dry, weary land without water.

For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord my God.

 So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
    to see your strength and your glory.
For your love is better than life,
    my lips will speak your praise.

For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord my God

 So I will bless you all my life,
    in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
    my mouth shall praise you with joy.

For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord my God.

 For you have been my help;
    in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
My soul clings to you;
    your right hand holds me fast.

For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord my God.

  

Second Reading    Romans 12:1-2 ·

Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice

Think of God’s mercy, my brothers, and worship him,
I beg you, in a way that is worthy of thinking beings,
by offering your living bodies as a holy sacrifice, truly pleasing to God.
Do not model yourselves on the behaviour of the world around you,
but let your behaviour change, modelled by your new mind.
This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good,
what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do.

The word of the Lord.

 

Gospel Acclamation   cf.Ep1:17,18

 Alleluia, alleluia!

May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our mind,
so that we can see what hope his call holds for us.

Alleluia!

 

Gospel   Matthew 16:21-27

'Get behind me, Satan!'

Jesus began to make it clear to his disciples that he was destined to go to Jerusalem
and suffer grievously at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes,
to be put to death and to be raised up on the third day. Then, taking him aside,
Peter started to remonstrate with him. ‘Heaven preserve you, Lord;’ he said

‘this must not happen to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! 
You are an obstacle in my path, because the way you think is not God’s way but man’s.’

Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life?

‘For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and, when he does, he will reward each one according to his behaviour.’

 The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Readings: Sunday, 23rd August 2020

FIRST READING

A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah   22:19-23

I place the key of the House of David upon his shoulder.

Thus says the Lord of hosts to Shebna, the master of the palace:

I dismiss you from your office,

I remove you from your post,

and the same day I call on my servant

Eliakim son of Hilkiah. invest him with your robe,

gird him with your sash,

entrust him with your authority;

and he shall be a father

to the inhabitants of Jerusalem

and to the House of Judah.

I place the key of the House of David

on his shoulder;

should he open, no one shall close,

should he close, no one shall open.

I drive him like a peg into a firm place;

he will become a throne of glory

for his father’s house.

The Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm   Ps 137

Response:  

Your love, O Lord, is eternal,

discard not the work of your hands.

1. I thank you, Lord, with all my heart,

you have heard the words of my mouth.

Before the angels I will bless you.

I will adore before your holy temple.

2. I thank you for your faithfulness

and love which excel all we ever knew of you.

On the day I called, you answered;

you increased the strength of my soul.

3. The Lord is high though he looks on the lowly

and the haughty he knows from afar

Your love, O Lord, is eternal,

discard not the work of your hands.

SECOND READING

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans 11:33-36

All that exists comes from him; all is by him and for him.

How rich are the depths of God – how deep his wisdom and

knowledge – and how impossible to penetrate his motives or

understand his methods! Who could ever know the mind of the Lord?

Who could ever be his counsellor? Who could ever give him

anything or lend him anything? All that exists comes from him; all is

by him and for him. To him be glory for ever! Amen.

The Word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation    2 Cor 5:19

Alleluia, alleluia!

God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself

and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled.

Alleluia!

Or   Mt 16:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church.

And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it.

Alleluia!

GOSPEL

A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew   16:13-20

You are Peter, and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this

question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And

they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others

Jeremiah or one of the prophets’.

‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ Then Simon Peter spoke

up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said ‘the Son of the living God’.

Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it

was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in

heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will

build my Church.

And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will

give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on

earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on

earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’

Then he gave the disciples strict orders not to tell anyone that he was

the Christ.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Readings: Sunday, 16th August 2020

FIRST READING
A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah 56:1. 6-7
I will bring foreigners to my holy mountain

Thus says the Lord: Have a care for justice, act with integrity, for soon
my salvation will come and my integrity be manifest.
Foreigners who have attached themselves to the Lord to serve him
and to love his name and be his servants – all who observe the
sabbath, not profaning it, and cling to my covenant – these I will
bring to my holy mountain. I will make them joyful in my house of
prayer. Their holocausts and their sacrifices will be accepted on my
altar, for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the
peoples.

The Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm   Ps 66

Response:  Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.

1. O God, be gracious and bless us
and let your face shed its light upon us
So will your ways be known upon earth
and all nations learn your saving help.

2. Let the nations be glad and exult
With fairness you rule the peoples,
you guide the nations on earth.
for you rule the world with justice.

3. Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
May God still give us his blessing.
till the ends of the earth revere him.

SECOND READING   Romans 11:13-15. 29-32
With Israel, God never takes back his gifts or revokes his choice.

Let me tell you pagans this: I have been sent to the pagans as their
apostle, and I am proud of being sent, but the purpose of it is to
make my own people envious of you, and in this way save some of
them. Since their rejection meant the reconciliation of the world, do
you know what their admission will mean? Nothing less than a
resurrection from the dead! God never takes back his gifts or revokes
his choice.
Just as you changed from being disobedient to God, and now enjoy
mercy because of their disobedience, so those who are disobedient
now – and only because of the mercy shown to you – will also enjoy
mercy eventually. God has imprisoned all men in their own
disobedience only to show mercy to all mankind.

The Word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation   Jn 10: 27

Alleluia, alleluia!

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,

says the Lord,

I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia!

or   Ps 129: 5

Alleluia, alleluia!

My Soul is waiting on the Lord,

I count on his word

Alleluia!

GOSPEL

A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew M 15:21-28

Woman, you have great faith.

Jesus left Genenesaret and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

Then out came a Canaanite woman from that district and started

shouting, ‘Sir, Son of David, take pity on me. My daughter is

tormented by a devil.’ But he answered her not a word. And his

disciples went and pleaded with him. ‘Give her what she wants,’

they said ‘because she is shouting after us.’ He said in reply, ‘I was

sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel’. But the woman

had come up and was kneeling at his feet. ‘Lord,’ she said ‘help

me.’ He replied, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it

to the house-dogs’. She retorted, ‘Ah yes, sir; but even house-dogs

can eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table’. Then Jesus

answered her, ‘Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be

granted.’ And from that moment her daughter was well again.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Readings: Sunday, 09th August 2020

FIRST READING
A reading from the first Book of Kings 19:9. 11-13
Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.

When Elijah reached Horeb, the mountain of God, he went into the
cave and spent the night in it. Then the word of the Lord came to
him saying, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ Then he was told, ‘Go
out and stand on the mountain before the Lord. Then the Lord
himself went by. There came a mighty wind, so strong it tore the
mountains and shattered the rocks before the Lord. But Yahweh was
not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But the Lord
was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire. But the
Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there came the sound of a
gentle breeze. And when Elijah heard this, he covered his face with
his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

The Word of the Lord 



Responsorial Psalm Ps 84

Response:  Let us see, O Lord, your mercy
and give us your saving help.

1. I will hear what the Lord God has to say,
a voice that speaks of peace.
His help is near for those who fear him
and his glory will dwell in our land.

2. Mercy and faithfulness have met;
justice and peace have embraced.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth
and justice look down from heaven.

3. The Lord will make us prosper
and our earth shall yield its fruit.
Justice shall march before him
and peace shall follow his steps.

4. Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
O God, be gracious and bless us
and let your face shed its light upon us.



SECOND READING
A reading from the first letter of St Paul to Romans 9:1-5
I would willingly be condemned and be cut off from Christ if it could
help my brothers.

What I want to say now is no pretence; I say it in union with Christ – it
is the truth – my conscience in union with the Holy Spirit assures me of
it too. What I want to say is this: my sorrow is so great, my mental
anguish so endless, I would willingly be condemned and be cut off
from Christ if it could help my brothers of Israel, my own flesh and
blood. They were adopted as sons, they were given the glory and
the covenants; the Law and the ritual were drawn up for them, and
the promises were made to them. They are descended from the
patriarchs and from their flesh and blood came Christ who is above
all, God for ever blessed! Amen.

The Word of the Lord.



Gospel Acclamation Lk 19: 38

Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessings on the King who comes, in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heave and glory in the highest heavens!
Alleluia!

Or Ps 129: 5

Alleluia, alleluia!
My Soul is waiting on the Lord, I count on his word
Alleluia!



GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 14:22-33
Tell me to come to you across the water.

Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the
other side while he would send the crowds away. After sending the
crowds away he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When
evening came, he was there alone, while the boat, by now far out
on the lake, was battling with a heavy sea, for there was a headwind.
In the fourth watch of the night he went towards them, walking
on the lake, and when the disciples saw him walking on the lake
they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost’ they said, and cried out in fear. But
at once Jesus called out to them, saying, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be
afraid.’ lt was Peter who answered. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘if it is you, tell me
to come to you across the water.’ ‘Come’ said Jesus. Then Peter got
out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water,
but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he took fright and
began to sink. ‘Lord! Save me!’ he cried. Jesus put out his hand at
once and held him. ‘Man of little faith,’ he said ‘why did you doubt?’
And as they got into the boat the wind dropped. The men in the
boat bowed down before him and said, ‘Truly, you are the Son of
God’.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Parish Priest of Saint Joseph Church, Plentong

PARENTING DIGITAL TEENAGERS.

By: DR. VALERIE JAQUES.
Clinical Psychologist.

Date & Time: SUNDAY 23RD AUGUST. '2O. @ 8PM-10PM
Via ZOOM LINK.
For details, contact Andrew Chew 017-7121296.
For registration,  please see poster and link for registration details.

Thank you.

Organized by Dio

cesan Commission Family, Laity & Life. Diocese of Melaka Johor.

Mass Readings: Sunday, 02nd August 2020

First reading
Isaiah 55:1-3 ·

Come and eat

Thus says the Lord:

Oh, come to the water all you who are thirsty;

though you have no money, come!

Buy corn without money, and eat,

and, at no cost, wine and milk.

Why spend money on what is not bread,

your wages on what fails to satisfy?

Listen, listen to me, and you will have good
things to eat

and rich food to enjoy.

Pay attention, come to me;

listen, and your soul will live.

With you I will make an everlasting covenant

out of the favours promised to David.

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 144(145):8-9,15-18

You open wide your hand, O Lord; you grant our desires.

The Lord is kind and full of compassion,

  slow to anger, abounding in love.

How good is the Lord to all,

  compassionate to all his creatures.

You open wide your hand, O Lord; you grant our desires.

The eyes of all creatures look to you

  and you give them their food in due time.

You open wide your hand,

  grant the desires of all who live.

You open wide your hand, O Lord; you grant our desires.

The Lord is just in all his ways

  and loving in all his deeds.

He is close to all who call him,

  who call on him from their hearts.

You open wide your hand, O Lord; you grant our desires.

Second reading
Romans 8:35,37-39 ·

No created thing can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ

Nothing can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us.

  For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation	cf.Lk19:38,2:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessings on the King who comes,

in the name of the Lord!

Peace in heaven

and glory in the highest heavens!

Alleluia!

Or:	Mt4:4

Alleluia, alleluia!

Man does not live on bread alone,

but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 14:13-21

The feeding of the five thousand

When Jesus received the news of John the Baptist’s death he withdrew by boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. But the people heard of this and, leaving the towns, went after him on foot. So as he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them and healed their sick.

  When evening came, the disciples went to him and said, ‘This is a lonely place, and the time has slipped by; so send the people away, and they can go to the villages to buy themselves some food.’ Jesus replied, ‘There is no need for them to go: give them something to eat yourselves.’ But they answered ‘All we have with us is five loaves and two fish.’ ‘Bring them here to me’ he said. He gave orders that the people were to sit down on the grass; then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing. And breaking the loaves handed them to his disciples who gave them to the crowds. They all ate as much as they wanted, and they collected the scraps remaining; twelve baskets full. Those who ate numbered about five thousand men, to say nothing of women and children.

The Gospel of the Lord.

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

August 2, 2020 — Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
IS 55:1-3; PS 145:8-9, 15-18; ROM 8:35, 37-39; MT 14:13-21

Today’s readings should inspire the Christian steward with deepened gratitude to our God Who loves us with such fierce and tender love. We must make an intentional response every day to return love for Love.

In our First Reading, from Isaiah, we hear God calling to us, even trying to entice us, to come and be filled with the good spiritual food He wants to give us. “Come, receive grain and eat; Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk!” And, “Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare.” Note that He uses the word “heed” in that verse and then repeats it in the next, “Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life.” We must be intentional in going to God on a regular basis through prayer and the sacraments. We must “heed” and “listen” to receive the nourishment He want to give us. We must choose Him — above our selfishness, above the worldly diversions that surround us constantly. But if we seek Him intentionally, we can be sure He will reward us: “I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David.”

And we can have complete confidence in this promise of His faithful love. In our Second Reading, from Romans, St. Paul reminds us emphatically that nothing and nobody can keep God from loving us. No anguish, distress, persecution, famine… and we might add pandemic, economic loss, relationship strife — nothing — can keep our God from His faithful love for us. His love is so powerful that not only does it allow us to survive all these things and more, but, “in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly.” God has got us in the palm of His hand.

And yet, this assurance is only the beginning of God’s gifts to us. Today’s Gospel passage from Matthew recounts the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish. This of course, is a foreshadowing of the miraculous gift the Eucharist, which feeds us not with bread but with the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus. This is so marvelous to contemplate that it is tempting to skip right over the beginning of the passage to get to the miraculous part. But let’s look at the first verses of this passage, for they reveal a little of the tender heart of Jesus for all of us.

As the passage begins we find that Jesus “withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.” He had just heard of the death of His cousin John the Baptist and was attempting to find a few moments of solitude. But the crowds would not leave Him alone. They followed him and tracked him down. Yet, our Lord was not frustrated with their interruption.

Rather, “his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.” What generous and compassionate love He shows. But even that is not enough for our Lord. He remains with the people, ministering to and teaching them well into the evening. The disciples suggest that Jesus should send them away so that they could buy some food. But Jesus will not hear of it. He insists that the disciples feed them right then and there. And then, He provides the miraculous abundance of food out of the few loaves and fishes the disciples could round up.

What a privilege for those disciples to participate in Christ’s miraculous plan for His people. This privilege is ours, too, as Christian stewards. Let us make a grateful response to such amazing love.